


Open Wounds

by clash_of_wolves97



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, First Kiss, Fluff, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Law allows himself to be vulnerable, Law allows himself to feel something, Luffy Being Luffy, M/M, POV Multiple, Post Traumatic Stress, mental health
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:27:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25158481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clash_of_wolves97/pseuds/clash_of_wolves97
Summary: The stars shone brightly above Luffy’s head. He looked at them with yearning for a time from the past. Laying under the stars was something he used to do with Ace, and once upon a time, Sabo too. He spent his childhood outside, running wild in the forests of the Goa Kingdom with his brothers under a limitless sky. Rusukaina reminded him much of the place he grew up in; the wild was his home and this island was hardly different. It lacked only one thing: his big brother. The one he failed to save.--Luffy is traumatized by the loss of his brother and the events of Marineford. Mere weeks after his declaration to the world and his promise to his crew, his mind is still haunted by his memories. He desperately seeks some semblance of comfort and finds it in the most unlikely place: the far reaches of his mind.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 7
Kudos: 145





	Open Wounds

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading my story! This is the first fic I have ever really shared with an audience beyond myself. I hope you enjoy it ^_^

The stars shone brightly above Luffy’s head. He looked at them with yearning for a time from the past. Laying under the stars was something he used to do with Ace, and once upon a time, Sabo too. He spent his childhood outside, running wild in the forests of the Goa Kingdom with his brothers under a limitless sky. Rusukaina reminded him much of the place he grew up in; the wild was his home and this island was hardly different. It lacked only one thing: his big brother. The one he failed to save.

Most of the nights he spent here, which were hardly a month’s worth, he slept sound enough. The training was exhausting, but it was a good focus for him. It provided him a distraction from the ruins of his mind. Haki used up much of his energy and he was still in the beginning stages of learning it. Rayleigh said it would be easier the more he used it, but most nights he was grateful for the exhaustion. Most nights, it was enough to send him into a dreamless slumber. Tonight, however, was different. In the face of his fatigue, he was restless.

Luffy slipped his eyes shut; he needed to try and sleep. His body was worn out, but his mind was all too active. He tried to focus on anything but the thoughts that plagued him to soothe him to sleep; on the crickets, the frogs, the rustle of the nocturnal creatures that came alive after dark. Nothing could silence the thoughts that raced in his mind. There were thoughts and images spinning around like a dangerous maelstrom. Images of a tall sword, a flash of yellow, steady beeping. Bandages. Blood. He heard shouting and a long beep before it started its rhythm again. Soft whispers. Gentle touches. Luffy couldn't be sure how much was real and how much wasn't. Were they memories? Dreams? Hallucinations?

He shook his head and hoisted himself up. He couldn't sleep and he couldn't stay still. He had to do _something_. He left the campsite, leaving Rayleigh with the fire that had died down to mere embers. His legs carried him away into the jungle. He shot an arm up to grab onto a tree and started swinging himself through them.

The faint, memory like images were driving him further and further into the heart of the jungle. They seemed to go back further now. He saw fire; he saw _magma_. He shut his eyes tightly and violently shook his head as if that would erase it; make it go away; make it not true. But he knew his efforts were in vain. The memories were too painful to be untrue. He would never forget the moment that Ace died or the man who murdered him. His heart raced. His limbs were on fire from fury. There would be no forgiveness for that man. For a moment, Luffy allowed his rage to run rampant through his body, fueling his actions and carrying him faster and further than he meant to go.

As quickly as he found his frightful rhythm, he lost it. He missed the next branch and fell to the ground with a hard _thud_. In a flash, he was back in Marineford. He could hear the sounds of gunfire, swords clashing, shouting. War. But it was all muted; it was background noise. What he saw in front him, as if he had been transported back in time, was nothing short of horrific.

"Nooooooo!" The word erupted from his throat in a broken scream. His hands were in his hair and pulling at it in an attempt to ground himself. "Akainuuuu!" He screamed and doubled over on the ground, pounding his fist into the dirt. Tears poured from his eyes as the most traumatic moment of his life played over in his mind. He was forced to watch Ace go after Akainu to avenge his captain. He had to watch as the navy admiral took a blow at him and Ace stood as his shield. He was forced to relive the moment when a fist of magma shoved itself through his brother's chest. He could still smell the burning flesh. He could still see the blood on his hands. Ace was in his arms again, bleeding and saying his last words, a final memento to his brother, his captain, and his crew.

_“Thank you… for loving someone like me who is good for nothing… and who has such bad blood in his veins…” Ace started to sob as his life left his body. “...up to today. Thank you!” He let out one final wail before his body went limp in Luffy’s arms. A second later that his brother’s lifeless body fell to the ground beside him._

"Ace!" He cried out and let himself collapse to the ground once again. He was no longer able to hold himself up. He was past the point of destroying himself and his surroundings. It just _hurt_. All he could do was cry. Yes, he had his crew to live for. That sentiment alone was enough to make him stay here and train with a legend. But that didn't change what happened, what he went through, or the pain he felt.

"Ace…" he whimpered, tears still falling in a steady stream. "Why did you have to leave me? You were supposed to be here,” He sniffled and wiped tears away from his eyes. He pushed himself up on his knees. “You were supposed to live! You promised you would never die! We were supposed to meet at the top! We promised!” He screamed. “We promised!” He screamed though his words were choked out by tears. He fell to the ground as a second wave of sorrow hit him.

The danger that loomed from the huge animals of the island was forgotten. The stars in the night sky that once looked so beautiful might as well have lost their shine. Right now, nothing else mattered except for the fact that Luffy was left in this world without his brother. All that mattered were the broken promises that were no longer possible to keep. All the things that could have been, ceased to exist before they were even a possibility. He’d already lost Sabo, and now Ace too! His crew was scattered across the world and he was here, on a deserted island with no one but an old man and wild animals. It was like pouring salt into an open wound, an insult to injury.

It was his decision to be here. He told his crew to wait two years, to get stronger before they meet again. After facing what he did, he knew they weren’t strong enough to make it in the New World. But it didn’t make the separation hurt any less. He wanted nothing more than to be with his crew. They would know how to cheer him up, how to make him feel better. They always did, even when they didn’t know that’s what they were doing. They didn’t know how much they grounded him. Another sob ripped through his throat for the absence of those he loved most in this world. He was powerless in the face of his overwhelming emotions. He was too weak to fight. The only thing he could do was to let it run its course and pick up the pieces afterwards.

By the time Luffy mustered up the strength to stand once again, he couldn’t tell if it had been moments or hours that passed. All he knew was that it was still night. The moon still hung in the sky. The trees were still there. He could hear the sounds of the island's nightlife once again. He was back on Rusukaina. He was okay. There was no war. There was no death. There was no _magma_. He took a deep breath, shook the dust off his feet, and started to move forward again. That was the only way he could go, after all.

His feet carried him toward the beach, which had been his original destination. That’s where he was headed when he left the campsite. The sound of the ocean always calmed him, even if he couldn't swim. He missed being on the Sunny with his friends and listening to waves lap at the sides of their ship. He missed their smiling faces and all the fun they had together. The beach would give him a small portion of that back.

 _Two years and you can have them back. We have to get strong,_ he made a fist and flexed his arm. _Everyone, I hope you’re okay_ , he thought as he walked, and a small smile spread over his face. He was getting closer. The smell of the ocean was drawing ever nearer.

True to his instincts, it wasn't even five minutes later that he found himself at the shore. The waves were washing up further on the beach than usual. He glanced up at the moon and that was enough to tell him why. In a few days, it would be full by the looks of it. 

He sat down where the water and sand met and slipped off his shoes. Sea water made him weak, but he still liked to stand in it when he could. Or put his feet in the shallows and allow the water to wash his troubles away like he was now.

Luffy pulled his knees to his chest, crossed his arms over them, and let his chin rest on top. He could feel the water on his toes. He looked out over the vast ocean while the waves worked their magic on his mind. It brought him tranquility. Peace. That's what he found here at the shore. Peace for his troubled mind and soul. It was a peace that allowed his mind to wander away from the things that made him sad. It wandered back to the yellow flashes he remembered. Back to the sword and the beeping. It was all so vague in his mind, so clouded. But he felt at ease with these memories rather than unrest. It made him all the more curious about it and why he remembered it and why they made him feel this way.

"Where did these memories come from…" he mumbled to no one but himself, his eyes still set out on the horizon. Given the circumstances of everything, he was sure these were memories. As hazy as they were, they felt too real to have been from a dream.

Then another stronger, more vivid memory surfaced in his mind. He was… somewhere. In a place he didn't recognize. He was connected to something. Machines? Whatever they were, they were the source of the beeping in his memories. He was upset and crying and… awake? They'd told him he was out for two weeks, so why was he awake in a place he didn't recognize? His mind was still such a fragmented mess after everything. He couldn’t completely decipher what was happening. He only remembered the pain. All he’d been able to do then was cry, too weak to go on the rampage he would go on after fully waking. He swore he heard someone talking to him in soft whispers, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. He felt someone holding him, but he didn’t know who. Eventually, he drifted back into the void of unconsciousness in his memory, not knowing who was caring for him.

A shiver went down Luffy’s spine. It was so strange. Where did it come from? Where had he been? Who was it? He hoped to find out someday. Sooner would be preferable rather than later.

He jumped at the sudden sensation of a hand on his shoulder. As far as he had been aware, he was alone on the beach. 

“Luffy,” Rayleigh smiled as he took a seat next to him, his eyes following his gaze out to the horizon. “I knew I would find you here.” Luffy didn’t respond. The two of them remained silent for what felt like an eternity and yet no time at all. He wasn’t ready to talk just yet, but he found the presence of the old man to be more comforting than he expected.

“You know Luffy, I think I may understand your pain better than you know.” Rayleigh said to finally break the comfortable silence between them. “I’m an old man. I’ve lost many people in my life. I never really had any brothers growing up, at least not ones that shared a bond like you and Ace. But… there was one man that I lost that hurt like no others.” He said with a sad smile on his face and looked up to the stars. “Roger was one of the hardest losses of my life.” He met Luffy’s eyes. “Even a man like me, who understood the circumstances of his death, who knew why it had to happen the way it did… it hurt like hell. I wasn’t myself for a long time. But then Shakky came into my life and helped me figure out the man I was after I lost my captain, my brother, and my best friend.” He clapped a hand on his students back. 

“I know your loss is still fresh. I can’t tell you how to deal with it. I know my words probably won’t help you right now, but it will get easier. Right now, you need to work through all that anger and pain. I promise, it will dull with the passage of time. It’ll never go away but you’ll learn to live with it. It’ll become a part of who you are, and it will make you strong if you let it. But don’t forget to cherish the good memories, it’s the only way you’ll survive it. Rage is far from the only thing that empowers us.”

Luffy sat and listened to every word that came out of his teacher’s mouth. He knew what the man had to say was true. He sat there in silence while he processed what was said to him. He knew that the pain would dull over time. It had with Sabo, but this was different. Ace had been right there in front of him. They were so close to making it out of Marineford alive… He shook his head to end the train of thought. He didn’t need to go back there. He needed a distraction; he needed some answers.

“Hey, Rayleigh,” He started, finally turning his head to face the man. “You were there when me and Jinbei got back from the forest on Amazon Lily… you told me the doctor said I still needed to rest. Did you catch his name?” He wondered. That was something more positive to think about.

Luffy knew that there had to have been someone else involved. Jinbei was strong, but he wasn’t a doctor. He couldn’t have been the one to patch him up.

“I did,” He said. “Do you remember the man with the yellow jacket from Sabaody?” He asked, to which Luffy replied with a nod of his head. He would never forget what happened there either. “He was the one who saved you. His name is Trafalgar Law.”

“Tra-tro-traf?” He asked, having a hard time pronouncing his name. “Torao?” He couldn’t quite get it. But it sounded familiar. Maybe Jinbei mentioned it when he told him everything that happened after he passed out. His eyes went wide when the connection was made. The place in his memory where he was hooked up to all those machines, that must have been Law’s ship! He must have been the person from his memory, too. The one heard whispering to him… 

“Tra-fal-gar,” Rayleigh slowed it down a little in effort to help him say it, but Luffy’s mind was past that now. “Why do you ask?” 

“He’s the man who saved my life.” Luffy said, his eyes back out on the horizon. “The least I can do is learn his name and thank him the next time I see him. Without him, I wouldn’t be alive right now.”

“No, you wouldn’t be.” He agreed. “Now,” Rayleigh stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked down at Luffy. “Stand up. We have a long day of training tomorrow and I don’t plan on going easy on you. We should head back and get some rest.”

Luffy did as he was told and stood up. Without a word, Rayleigh started to walk back and Luffy followed him. He walked away from the beach with a new sense of determination. He knew he would make it through this, that this grief he felt wouldn’t last forever. He knew he still had a life to live and things to work for. It was just going to take time for him to recover and to heal. It was going to continue hurting. And that was okay.

The walk back wasn’t as long as he thought it would be, thankfully. His body felt like lead and he was ready to sleep. As soon as they got back, he laid down and made himself comfortable. His final conscious thoughts were on the flashes of yellow from his memories, the soft, sweet whispers during his recovery, and the name Trafalgar Law. He fell asleep with a smile on his face because he knew that one day, they would meet again, and he could properly express his gratitude.

~~XxX~~

Law leaned against the railing of the Thousand Sunny, his eyes set on the endless dark waters in front of him. The dark waves promised nothing but evil and did nothing to ease his sense of foreboding. It was late and he was alone. Any sane person would be asleep right now. However, in the last week he’d spent traveling with the Straw Hat’s, he’d found that none of them were sane and someone was likely to be up. He could only hope that they would stay put and leave him be. He hadn’t felt this nervous all week, but now that Dressrosa was so close? Reality was catching up to him at a startling rate and he just needed to be left alone.

In the morning, there would be a world-shaking headline. Doflamingo would be resigning from his position as a Warlord. They would be handing Caesar over to him while a team worked to destroy his SMILE factory. After that, if things went according to plan, that evil man would be left to Kaido. Everything he had dedicated half of his life to would come to fruition. It turned his stomach. He could taste the salt in his saliva and fought against what was likely to come.

All the hate, all the pain, and all the anguish that he’d suffered for the last 13 years was about to come to a head. Seeing Vergo again on Punk Hazard opened up a wound that never had the opportunity to properly heal. Defeating Vergo sewed it shut, but he was far from okay. He struggled in that fight and hardly made it out alive. How was he going to fare if things went sour tomorrow? What if everything he worked so hard for all fell to pieces? At that thought, he was no longer able to hold back the vomit that threatened to come up and emptied the contents of his stomach into the ocean. And if he cried a little bit, who was there to judge him?

“Torao?” He heard the unmistakable voice of the pirate he decided to form an alliance with. What was he doing awake? “I didn’t expect to see you.” He said.

He took a deep breath and used his sleeve to wipe away the tears that remained on his face. “I could say the same, Mugiwara-ya. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” He asked. He didn't need this right now. He just wanted to be alone.

“Shouldn’t you?” He threw right back at him. It was a fair point, after all. Tomorrow was going to be a big day and they all needed as much rest as they could get. His brain just hated him and refused to be quiet.

“I guess you have a point.” He admitted with a sigh and pushed his fingers through his hair. He’d left his hat inside before he came out and suddenly wished he hadn’t. It made it easier for him to hide. “What brings you out here?” He wondered. A spark of curiosity outweighed his current desire to be alone. Maybe a conversation would help distract him; give him an outlet for his nervous energy. Besides, it was Luffy. He had a soft spot for the man he rescued. Law had seen him at his worst, so what right did he have to turn away the captain of this ship?

“Mmm, couldn’t sleep.” He said simply and leaned up against the rail beside him. Law watched him, the way his arms crossed over the railing and eyes set to the sea. He almost didn’t recognize the man next to him. He wasn’t the loud, boisterous, and childish captain he’d become acquainted with on Punk Hazard. He wasn’t the half dead body on his submarine from two years ago either. This was the serious side of him. “Why are you out here?” He asked, turning to face him again.

“Same reason. I can’t sleep." He looked back out to the water. "Too much on my mind.” Why on earth was he even sharing that with him? There was something about Luffy that made the walls he’d spent so many years building crumble. As vague as his words were, he was still never this open with his crew, the only exception being Bepo.

Without warning, there was a warmth in one of his hands that was not there before. Warmth and something else he couldn’t identify. Something that sent flutters through his chest. The other captain even gave a gentle squeeze to reassure him. He squeezed back. It was a far cry from what he’d expected but it was exactly what he needed.

“I know you’re hurting.” He said quietly and laced his fingers through Law’s own. He stepped a little closer. “And I don’t know why, but I can guess it has to do with Doflamingo.” Law could hear the resolve building in his voice with each word he spoke. “I promise that we’re gonna take him and his factory down.” He gave his hand another squeeze before pulling it away.

“Don’t,” he whispered softly before he could stop himself and held on tighter to the hand that threatened to leave. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing what was keeping him steady. Not after what he'd just said; not after being provided the very comfort he sought so desperately after.

They stood together like that for a long moment, no words spoken between them. A comfortable silence. There was an electricity between them that drew him in; made him want to stay in Luffy’s orbit. Law tried and failed to find the right words to say but he knew that somehow, the straw hat understood. With their hands linked, his mind was taken back to the day Luffy woke up after a two-week struggle. He remembered the way he screamed and cried and destroyed. He remembered clutching onto the captain’s tattered hat. He could almost feel what he’d been going through. He knew that the younger captain was familiar with pain, with hurt, and with suffering. He didn’t pretend to know the details of his life either, but the two of them? They knew what hell was, walked through it, and survived it. Perhaps that was one of the things that drew him to Luffy, their shared experience of hurt.

“All of this is… it’s opening up some wounds I thought healed a long time ago.” He finally said. It was just the two of them. He was safe to open up, even if it was only a little bit. “And I’m,” He swallowed hard because what he was about to say, he never admitted to anyone else. “I’m afraid.”

“That’s okay, Torao.” Luffy smiled brightly at him. “Everything is gonna work out how it’s supposed to. It always does.” It was so simple for him. Law envied that. Nothing was ever that easy and yet, with Luffy, it somehow was. “Even if it’s not how we planned, it happens how it needs to.” He shuffled closer to Law. Their arms were pressed together and it made his heart race. He leaned into the touch and felt the same electric current running between them again. He could feel the heat rise to his cheeks and suddenly he was grateful for the darkness of the night. He almost forgot how to breathe. It was like he was suffocating but in a good way. Did he feel the same energy or was Law only imagining things? Surely, he couldn’t be alone. 

Law was not a man that acted on his impulses or his desires. He learned very quickly that it would only cause more pain in the end. But he decided to give into his desires this one time. He leaned in closer and closer, pulled in by Luffy’s magnetic presence. Law searched the other’s face, looking for any sign to stop but what he found was the opposite. He watched as Luffy licked and parted his lips in anticipation. He leaned further, his eyelids falling further shut the nearer they drew to one another. It started slow and hesitant. Their noses touched. They shared breath. It was intoxicating. They shared one last look that said this was okay. That was all it took for him to abandon his reluctance and allow himself to have what he needed. He sealed what little space was left between, pressing their lips together in a slow, tender embrace. There was no shock or confusion between them, just warmth and safety and assurance as if this were the thousandth kiss shared between them and not the first. It took his breath away and threatened to burn him alive. He withdrew himself almost as quickly as it happened. He needed a moment.

“Mugiwara-ya,” He breathed, their faces still only mere inches away from each other. He could hear his heartbeat and feel the blood course through his veins. This was so new and so intense; he didn’t know what to do with himself.

Luffy beamed up at him and turned his body to face his. One of his arms coiled around his waist, bringing the two of them impossibly close. Mugiwara’s other hand cupped the side of his face, his thumb brushing over his ear and fidgeting with his earrings. Law was evidently weak for that; his legs started to give but he wouldn’t allow himself to buckle over. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the small frame of the man in front of him and let him take control.

“Torao,” He whispered, his eyes locked on Law’s. He let his face rest against the other’s hand. He couldn’t put a name to what he was feeling, what was going on inside of him. But to hear that silly nickname spoken so tenderly and with a fondness he couldn’t remember ever hearing—it made him want to spill out all of his fragmented thoughts. It made him want to speak of everything he felt, his hopes, his dreams, and his fears.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, he was cut off by another pair of lips. This kiss was deeper, more fervent than the last. Their teeth clinked together, but that was okay. Luffy sucked his bottom lip into his mouth before using the opening to push his tongue forward. He opened his mouth further for him and their tongues collided, twisting and pulling away, playing a game of chase. It was sloppy and unpracticed, but what authority did he have on kissing? It was perfect as far as he was concerned. He felt Luffy’s hand push back and up into his hair. He ruffled and played with it before deciding to keep his hand at the base of Law’s neck.

They stayed like that and kissed until their lips were swollen and they could no longer breathe. And then they kissed some more, neither of them making a move to take it any further. It was warm and pleasant and everything Law needed. 

Finally, they had to break away from each other to breathe. They pressed their foreheads together, basking in each other’s presence. He couldn’t believe how amazing a kiss felt. That was his first time and he had no idea what he was doing when he took the risk of doing it. He only did what felt right, consequences be damned. 

“Come to bed with me.” Luffy spoke softly. There was no hidden motive in those words of his. Law knew he only meant to sleep. He thought maybe, just maybe, he might get a decent rest if he had Mugiwara by his side. The offer was tempting. “Nami said we should be there in the morning and it’s already super late.” He yawned and let his head fall to the crook of Law’s neck. “We should get some rest.”

“You’re right.” Law swore his heart skipped a beat as he spoke. Being this close to another person, the idea of sharing a bed with someone that wasn’t Bepo was terrifying. Being that vulnerable with someone else, trusting them enough to sleep together. It was terrifying and exhilarating all the same. But his decision was already made. “Let’s get some rest.”

He allowed Luffy to lead them away to the men’s quarters of the ship. He bypassed the bunks where his crew slept, and the captain himself usually slept, and took him to the captain’s quarters. It took him by surprise to see an actual room in there. He was almost sure it just used a closet of sorts or that it was honorary. Luffy was such an usual man and preferred to sleep out with everyone else. But here it was, a room with a larger bed and everything someone would need in a bedroom. Luffy climbed in after kicking his shoes off and invited him to join with a pat to the empty space beside him.

He climbed in beside him after kicking his own shoes away and curled up next to the source of heat. Luffy wrapped him up in his arms, running a hand along his back after pulling the covers up over them. The scariest part in all of this was how natural it felt. Part of him was screaming, telling him to run away from this. It told him he wasn't allowed to have any sort of peace, ever. Period. That part of him said he had to keep his guard up at all times; that he must remain vigilant. But that was exhausting. He knew he was safe. He decided to ignore the part of himself that wanted him miserable for once and indulged in some comfort. Come what may tomorrow, he would let himself have this one thing before he traveled the road that would likely lead to his death.

"Good night, Torao." Luffy said and kissed the top of his head.

"Good night, Mugiwara-ya." He replied with a small smile only for himself and slowly drifted off to sleep with thoughts of endless possibilities.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading this. I had a great time writing this out. If you enjoyed the fic, I would love to hear from you in the comments!  
> Also, I thought it was worth noting that this fic operates with some of my HCs. One of them being is that time does not pass as fast as it appears to in the show and actual travel time is accounted for. Another of them being that Luffy was not completely unconscious for the two weeks he spent recovering post Marineford.


End file.
